Thursday, October 25, 2012

Today's Special - - Maggie Robinson

We're delighted to welcome historical romance author Maggie Robinson back to The Romance Dish! Maggie has a new book, Lord Gray's List that's sexy, sassy and just plain fun. Maggie originally wanted to use a different title for this entertaining romp but I'll let her tell you more about that. Please give her a warm welcome!

Thanks so much for having me back to dish about Lord Gray’s
List! The book comes out in a few days, and I have great hopes for it. It’s the
first in the London List Trilogy, which is loosely based around a combination weekly
scandal sheet/Craigslist. In fact, the working title was Lord Craig’s
List, which the Kensington marketing department did not like. At all.
Maybe because of the murders and prostitution? So I was asked to change it and
came up with Gray, completely innocently, and well before those books came out. And there’s only one shade of him, not fifty,
LOL.

I got the inspiration for the series after reading a bunch
of old lonely hearts ads culled from newspapers around the country. What would
happen if Regency ladies and gentlemen circumvented Almacks and sought their
life partner through the want ads? One thing led to another, as it generally
does in my disordered mind, and while the books strayed more into the “Help
Wanted” column than lovelorn territory, they were tremendous fun to write.

I like a challenge, and there was nothing better than my
trouser-wearing, man-impersonating, strong-willed, opinionated heroine
Evangeline Ramsey to get me motivated. Evie has a social conscience, a heart of
gold, and a poison pen. Who better to increase weekly revenues to her paper and
help the needy than her lost love Baron Benton Craig, who can’t seem to keep
himself off the front page? The battle of wits and wills was great, since
everybody wins!

Reviews have been very kind so far. From RT Book Reviews Magazine:
“Sexy, fun and smart, Robinson’s latest is pleasurable. Her strong, independent
heroine meets her match in the alpha hero, and their battle of wills will have
readers smiling with glee just to see who ends up wearing the pants in this
relationship.” Rogues Under the Covers says it’s “a perfect blend of heart,
wit, charm and heat.” Publishers Weekly: An “appealing tale of sin and
redemption. Pure fun!”

Evie is not one of those heroines who just happens to put on
a pair of her brother’s cast-off breeches and climbs out a window for a lark.
She’s been living as a man in the business world for two years. Two years! I
couldn’t last as a man for a day, LOL.

If you pretended to be a man for a day,
what would you do? One commenter will
get a copy of Lord Gray’s List!

In today's society I am really glad that we don't have to pretend to be a man in order to do just about anything. When I was in the Navy I tracked and localized submarines. I had the opportunity to go on a submarine ride for eight hours which was really cool. Because of the sleeping and bathing arrangements, women were not allowed to do more than a day tour. I would love to be able to see what it would be like to actually do a sub tour. I guess it would defintely be more than a day though.

In this day and age women no longer have to do that. I do remember a boss telling me that he couldn't pay me the same as my co-worker (doing the same job!) because...."well, you're a woman". Many years later and in a different line of work (electronics manufacturing) my salary passed most of my male counterparts! Right now, I can't think of a thing that I would have to pretend to be a man to do. ;o)

Betty, one of the first jobs I applied for out of college was at a big insurance company. I got thru all the hoops until one executive told me I was "too young, too blonde and too pretty." I didn't know whether to be insulted or flattered, LOL. Now I could sue the pants off him, altho no one is apt to say the same thing anymore. :)

I don't think I would be able to pretend to be a man very well. My sister and I have often talked about how when we leave the house and leave our kids with their fathers we always have to kind of do a "transfer of responsibility" and make sure that they know we are leaving and they are now in charge of the kids. They never do any type of checking to make sure we know we are responsible for the kids when they leave - they just assume that we are going to take care of them. I don't think that I could move far enough away from that mom mentality to make a very convincing man.

Hi Maggie! Great to see you here back at The Dish. I love romances where the heroine goes "undercover" as a man, especially in Eloisa's Duchess by Night and Maya Rodale's Tale of Two Lovers. If I were a man, I'd take my cue from Julianna from Maya's book, and try to sneek into that all-male bastion that is White's. Then there is the ultimate man experience of collapsing on the couch all weekend drinking beer and watching football, but 1) I don't like football (Sorry PJ! :)) and I don't like beer, so I think I'll pass, lol

Well, I really like being a female so I really don't have a desire to be a guy just to be a guy. However, If I had the opportunity to step into a guy's shoes for a day, I would want to see what men do in their special man caves of today or gentlemen's clubs of yesteryear. Hopefully, I could impart some gem of wisdom to them to be more compassionate and considerate of women too. If I was successful at that, I would say my mission was complete!

I'm really looking forward to reading "Lord Gray's List" and have it at the top of my Wish List.

I enjoy reading stories where women have attempted changing places but like most of the others, there aren't too many places where it would be necessary anymore except when it comes to pay (sigh). I think of the days when I worked as a secretary and how unfair everything was. I had a boss that demanded women have short hair (so I wore a wig for 2 yrs.) and asking what kind of birth control you used was perfectly acceptable and pants were not allowed. I was told since I was married I didn't need to make much money and that the allotted funds for raises needed to go to the men. This was in the 70's but it seems like the stone ages. Sorry, for the rant lol. Your book sounds like a fun read that I would enjoy!

I feel good in my woman skin and although I believe men still have advantages we don't get to enjoy, I am not sure I would like to trade places...but I would love to be a fly on the wall when they gather at a bar or at a friend's house for a game! Please don't count me in the contest. I have my copy and I cannot wait to start reading it. It sounds awesome!

Hi Maggie, congrats on the release! If I pretended to be a man for one day, I would want to do it in a historical romance setting. I'd clomp about the place, ride a horse wildly across the moors, drink brandy until I was cross-eyed! Would I go as far as to challenge someone to a duel, hmmm~ ;)

Hi Maggie, I love the cover and concept of your new release! It's going on my TBR List right now.On being a man.....(tapping on my desk) Nope, not for me. Why be a man when I'm great at being a woman! Congrats on your new book!

Congratulations on next Tuesday's release of Lord Gray's List, Maggie. It's a terrific book, and I hope it gets all the readers and all the accolades it deserves. I loved it!

The chicks-in-pants trope is one of my favorites in historical romance, and has been since I first read Georgette Heyer's These Old Shades many, many years ago, but I can't imagine disguising myself as a male. I think the women who have done so in fiction and fact must have had considerably less generous curves that I've had since the age of twelve. I'd have to settle for a monk's robes. :)

In days past there were definite advantages to pretending to be a man, but these days if I impersonated a man, I'd probably try to infiltrate a group of guys to see if I could learn anything interesting. They'd probably just be talking about sports though. :D

I'm not sure what I would do. Perhaps its just a sign of modern times, but can't think of anything that I couldn't do if I really wanted. Going to a strip club comes to mind, but I've known women who have gone & would be willing to go on a lark without having to pretend to be a guy. I suspect the haunts of women only are more common today & hold more mystery than those of men ;)

Now that's a lofty goal, Laurie! I'd love to attend a game at Lambeau (what atmostphere!) but, with my luck, if I played QB, I'd get sacked by a 300 pound linebacker and have to be taken off the field on a stretcher. Of course, there would be all those thousands of rabid Packers fans cheering me as I left. That would be pretty good compensation. ;-)

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